Dispenser



April 8, 1958 c. CASTELLI DISPENSER Filed July 27, 1955 INVENTOR '556417544 TTORNEY nite States DISPENSER Charles Castelli, New Brunswick,N. J assignor to Johnson & Johnson, a corporation of lew jerseyApplication July 27, 1955, SerialNo, 524,675

12 Claims. (Cl; 141-44)- This invention relates to dispensers of themedicine dropper type and more particularly to extending the life of theresilient bulb part of such dispensers.

Liquid o r semi-liquid dispensers of the medicine dropper type generallyinclude a resilient bulb, a dropper tube and a cap or plug for securingthe dispenser to a container. These dispensers usually have a droppertubernade of glass, a cap or plug of bakelite, and a resilient bulb ofrubber. Rubber is particularly suitable for the bulb part of thedispenser because it possesses the desired resiliency and flexibility.

Although these materials are still used extensively in the manufactureof such dispensers, it is becoming more common to make the dispenserparts from plastics, such as polyethylene, because plastics are readilyavailable at low cost and may be molded in various forms and attractivecolors. In addition, some plastics can Withstand sterilizationprocedures which often impair the resiliency and elasticity of rubberand thus the effectiveness of the resilient bulb.

Although more dispensers of this type are being made from plastics,these materials possess certain disadvantages. This is particularly trueof resilient bulbs made of plastics in that they often have been foundto lack the flex life of resilient bulbs made of rubber.

During the normal use of this type dispenser, the resilient bulb part issqueezed or flexed a considerable number of times. The bulb is usuallysqueezed until opposed inner surfaces of the bulb walls contact ornearly contact each other. This results in the formation of creases inthe bulb walls, and, particularly when plastics are used, ultimately inthe formation of cracks, thus causing bulb failure and making thedispenser useless. Apparently, this failure is brought about bycrystallization, or some similar phenomenon, which causes fatigue in thebulb material,

I have discovered that the flex life of the resilient bulb part of suchdispensers may be extended by limiting the travel of the bulb walls thebulb is squeezed to prevent formation of the creases which ultimatelycause failure. In accordance with my invention, the travel of the bulbwalls may be so limited by providing devices positioned in the interiorof the resilient bulb These devices may be a separate member or may beintegrally formed with another part of the dispenser.

To more fully understand the nature of my invention, reference; is madeto, the accompanying drawing wherein there are shown variousillustrative embodiments of my invention and wherein like numerals referto like parts.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a medicine dropper, partly cut away,incorporating my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the dropper tube part of the medicinedropper of Fig. l, and illustrates one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of Fig. 1, taken along lines 3 3,illustrating the respective positions of the bulb 2,329,682 Pa QnedAPr-B, 5

2 walls and devices positioned in the. interior of the bulb to limit thetravel of the bulb walls;

Fig. 4 illustrates the bulb of Fig. 3 being squeezed along line A-A;

Fig. 5 illustrates the bulb, being. squeezed along line B-B; and

Fig. 6 illustrates another embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings, there is shown amedicine dropper generally designatedby reference numeral 1 consisting of a resilient bulb 2, a dropper tube3 connected to the bulb to provide an airtight passageway between theinterior of the bulb and the dropper tube bore 4, and a cap 5 which isadapted to attach the medicine dropper to a container. The skirt of cap5. may be provided with threads on its interior for screw engagementwith the neck of a container, in the well-known manner.

The upper end of dropper tube 3 is provided with a flange 6 adapted toengage within cap 5 or with bulb 2 to connect theparts of the medicinedropper together.

In this embodiment of the invention, dropper tube 3 is.

provided above flange 6 with a plurality of elongated rod-like membersor fingers 7 and 7 formed integrally with the dropper tube andsufficiently long to extend up wardly into the interior of resilientbulb 2 substantially to. its top inner surface. As shown in Figs. 2 and3, the four elongated members are. disposed evenly around bore 4 in thedropper tube to form two pairs of diametrically opposed members 7, 7 and'7', '7 which are integrally at tached to the dropper tube at their,lower ends. The members are joined by a thin, flexible web 8. adjacenttheir upper ends, for reasons to be described more fully below.

In Fig. 3, the respective positions of the. two diametrically opposedpairs ct members and the adjacent walls of the resilient bulb 2 areshown when the device is in position inside the resilient bulb. Whenresilient bulb 2 is squeezed along a line of a pair of opposed members7, 7, (line A A), opposed members 7, 7 are urged to wards each otheruntil their respective inner surfaces 9, 9 contact each other, therebypreventing the resilient bulb from being squeezed. further. The otherpair of diametri cally opposed members which, for purposes ofconvenience have been referred to as 7, 7, will be. urged outwardly, inthe manner shown, due to their attachment by thin, flexible web 8 whichjoins all members together. In the preferred form, of the invention, thewidth a of each of the members is approximately one-half theirthicknessb so that when a pair of diametrically opposed members contact eachother, together they form substantially a square in the center of thebulb interior, as shown in Fig. 4, the length of the sides of which areapproximately equal to the thickness 1). In this manner, the. resilientbulb Walls can only be squeezed to the same point each time.Simultaneously, when bulb 2 is squeezed along line A-A, members 7', 7'are urged outwardly, because they are joined by interconnecting web 3,and orient thernselves with their thickness b substantially in alignmentwith the direction of squeezing A ,A As shown in Fig. 4, all fourmembers form, in effect, a rectangular stop in the center of theinterior of bulb 2 which limits the travel of the bulb walls to the sameextent each time when the bulb is squeezed. if the bulb is squeezedslightly to the side of line AA, the bulb walls will contact the sidesof a member 7 instead of urging the pair of members 7, 7 into contactwith each other and thus are prevented from being squeezed further.Formation of creases in the bulb walls will thereby be prevented, eventhough the bulb is squeezed on a line slightly oif line -A and h r e ahe bulb e l i l be stopped a l a. d s n e rom the qua to nne ish isequal to twice the width 0 of the members.

If the bulb is squeezed along a line between the line defined by a pairof diametrically opposed members, for example, along line BB, themembers come into the operation in the manner shown in Fig. to limit thetravel of the bulbwalls. In this event, inner surfaces 9, 9'respectively of members 7 and 7 adjacent each other will come intocontact and the bulb walls will be separated by a distance equal totwice the width at, which is also equal to thickness 12. Therefore,regardless of the direction in which the bulb is squeezed, the memberscome into operation and act in unison to prevent the bulb walls fromcontacting each other. It is thus seen that when the bulb is squeezed inthe normal manner, the travel of the bulb walls'is always stopped at thesame point and the bulb walls separated at a distance from each otherapproximately equal to the thickness bjof the members, regardless of thedirection in which the bulb is squeezed. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, whenthe bulb is squeezed, the bulb walls assume a rounded, even curvatureand the sharp creases which cause failure are eliminated.

In Fig. 6, there is shown another embodiment of the invention which isformed as a unit separate from the other parts of the dropper. In thisembodiment, members 10, whose dimensions are the same as noted above inconnection with members '7 and 7, are connected by a flexible web 11adjacent their upper ends and a similar web 12 adjacent their lowerends. The upper ends of the members may be tapered as shown to conformgenerally to the upper interior curved surface of a resilient bulb. Thelower ends of the members are flat. In this embodiment, the device isplaced inside the resilient bulb part of a medicine dropper with lowerends of members resting on top of flange 6 on dropper tube 3. Members 10are sufficiently long to extend upwardly into the interior of the bulbsubstantially to the top inner surface of the bulb. As noted above, thisembodiment may also be made from plastic, such as polyethylene, whichhas the desired flexibility.

From the foregoing illustrative embodiments, it is apparent that, bymeans of my invention, the formation of sharp creases in bulb walls andconsequent bulb failure will be prevented, and the flex life of the bulbextended by limiting the travel of the bulb walls, regardless of thedirection in which the bulb is squeezed in the customary manner. Whilethe device of this invention is particularly suitable in extending theflex life of resilient bulbs made of plastic, it is equally suitable forthe same purpose in the case of bulbs made of other materials, includingrubber. It is also apparent that, although two pairs of diametricallyopposed members have been shown in the illustrative embodiments, more orless may be used and that other variations, modifications andsubstitutions may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The claims are:

1. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a resilient bulb, a droppertube, means for attaching said dispenser to a container, and devicespositioned in the interior of said bulb to limit the travel of the bulbwalls when said bulb is squeezed, said devices comprising a plurality ofinterconnected rod-like members.

2. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a resilient bulb, a droppertube, means for attaching said dispenser to a container, and devicespositioned in the interior of said bulb to limit the travel of the bulbwalls when said bulb is squeezed, said devices comprising a plurality offlexible interconnected rod-like members, the width of said membersbeing approximately twice their thickness.

3. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a resilient bulb, a droppertube, means for attaching said dispenser to a container, said droppertube having a plurality of flexible interconnected rod-like membersextending a substantial distance into the interior of said bulb, saidmembers limiting the travel of the bulb walls when said bulb issqueezed.

4. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a resilient bulb, a droppertube, means for attachingsaid dispenser to a container, said droppertube having a plurality of flexible interconnected rod-like membersextending a substantial distance into the interior of said bulb, thewidth of said members being approximately twice their thickness, saidmembers limiting the travel of the bulb walls when said bulb issqueezed.

5. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a resilient bulb, a droppertube, means for attaching said dispenser to a container, said droppertube having at least two pairs of diametrically opposed rod-like membersat the upper part thereof, said members extending a substantial distanceinto the interior of said bulb, said members limiting the travel of thebulb walls when said bulb is squeezed.

6. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a resilient bulb, a droppertube, means for attaching said dispenser to a container, said droppertube having at least two pairs of diametrically opposed rod-like membersat the upper part thereof extending a substantial distance into theinterior or" said bulb, said members being joined by a flexible web.

7. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a resilient bulb, a droppertube, means for attaching said dispenser to a container, said droppertube having at least two pairs of diametrically opposed rod-like membersat the upper part thereof extending a substantial distance into theinterior of said bulb, said rod-like members being joined by a flexibleweb, the width of said rod-like mem bers being approximately twice theirthickness.

8. For use with a dispenser of the medicine dropper type, devices to bepositioned within the bulb part of said dropper to limit the travel ofthe walls of said bulb part when said bulb part is squeezed, saiddevices comprising, a plurality of connected rod-like members disposedsubstantially in a circle, the width of said members being approximatelytwice their thickness.

9. For use with a dispenser of the medicine dropper type, devices to bepositioned within the bulb'p'artoi said dropper to limit the travel ofthe walls of said bulb part when said bulb part is squeezed comprising,a plurality of rod-like members disposed in substantially. dia-.

metrically opposed pairs, said members being joined by a flexible web.

10. For use with a dispenser of the medicine dropper type, devices to bepositioned within the bulb part of said dropper to limit the travel ofthe walls of said bulb part when said bulb part is squeezed comprising,a plurality of rod-like members disposed in substantially diametricallyopposed pairs, said members being joined adjacent their upper and lowerends by flexible webs.

11. For use with a dispenser of the medicine dropper type, devices to bepositioned within the bulb part of said dropper to limit the travel ofthe walls of said bulb part when said bulb part is squeezed comprising,at least two pairs of diametrically opposed rod-like members, thethickness of said members being approximately twice their width,adjacent rod-like members being joined to each other by a flexible web.

12. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a resilient bulb, a droppertube, means for attaching said dispenser to a container, said droppertube having a plurality of integrally attached rod-like membersextending a substan tial distance into the interior of said bulb, saidmembers being interconnected by a flexible web, said members limitingthe travel of the bulb walls when said bulb is squeezed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

